ICE POND

Today is President’s Day and we finished our half day of school this morning so the kids could go out and enjoy the snow/ice before the big meltdown. Well, by way of walkie-talkie, I just heard that the kids and David arrived at the pond (on adjacent property – neighbors gave us permission to use it) and there is a big puddle of water out there on their ‘rink’. They have done a LOT of shoveling to make it fit for skating. We bought skates for all the kids that didn’t have any and they have had a blast skating this past week! It is Geneva’s first year to skate and with all her roller blading in the basement, she took to the ice skates beautifully.

COLDEST AND LATEST DATE ON RECORD

Last night after the kids were in bed, David and I went up and had a ‘Skate Date’. The stars were beautiful, Crosley came and ‘protected’ us from the coyotes (not) and David brought the lantern to illuminate the ice. We skated hand in hand in the frigid night and I have to say, it was rather romantic. We got back to the house and enjoyed adult conversation (without interruption!) over Brie, crusty French bread, paté, fruit and a bit of wine.

SNOWTIME!

The past couple of weeks have been beautiful with the snowfall. This week the landscape turned icy and the trees just glisten in the sunlight. This is my idea of winter and I am loving it! It is so bright and clean compared to the grey/brown drabs of winter without the snow. The kids have been great shoveling the driveway in teams and one day, when Victoria realized that she wouldn’t be able to shovel up the layer of ice, she put on her skates and went gliding around the driveway as if it were a skating rink! I got it on video.

THAT’S SAINT VALENTINE’S DAY!

Since our Blessed Margaret Valentine’s party had to be postponed because of snowy roads, and the original hostess, Kathryn, had a sick child the day she planned to have the alternate date (two days later), the Ulmers got to host the party here! The kids exchanged candy/cards, we made heart cut-out cookies (NOT something I do very often), Victoria made balloon animals for the kids and Leandra made original drawing coloring books for the little girls. Geneva, for one, was thrilled with hers. They came out so cute! Geneva had to win the prize this year for the "Most Valentine’s Produced" category. She just loves to express her affection with paper and markers and stickers!

David took us all out to Der Dutchman for Valentine’s Day and we enjoyed the beautiful drive and yummy meal. However, I must say, every time we go out to eat, we always say "Why do we even go anywhere other than Golden Corral?". The selection and price and quality of food is just way beyond anywhere we ever try. Actually, that’s usually the only place we go and Der Dutchman was not enough to tempt us to try them again.

David took the opportunity to remind everyone that it was a "Happy Saint Valentine’s Day!" this year. Valentine and Patrick made it to the American calendar but there is a saint to celebrate every day of the church year! We read the story (there are several versions) of Valentinus at our Blessed Margaret party and it always strengthens our faith to read of the men and women who valued Christ more than their own lives!

OTHER LITTLE NEWS

Our first 4-H meeting is Tuesday and Sylvia and Victoria are cranking out handouts for the meeting – Recycle Contest, Fundraiser, Estimated Expenses. Sylvia did well on her report card and survived her semester. Victoria is having a great time corresponding with a very faithful new pen pal, Ellyn. The K4J (Kids for Jesus) virtue of the month is "Be a Hero" (is that a virtue?) and the kids go around catching people doing good and putting a sticker on their back that says "you've been graced!". I figured out how to make pay-online "click-n-ship" package labels (will she ever go to the Post Office again?) and was rather proud of myself.

Our dinner plans with the Rineharts fell through (bummer), we finished our fourth NFP class series of our teaching career, and we are plodding along with our school. John is now increasingly interested in letters and storytelling. He even wrote out a story with an illustration! He used all I’s, O’s, and H’s to write his story but he read it to me and it was very interesting! Little stick man illustration 4 year-old style (head- with face- and legs only). Sam is following us all around with the big pleading eyes holding a book and saying "Read?" He is also saying "C’est chaud" (It’s hot in French), ‘Bad’, ‘help’, nigh-night (or the French version ‘Do-Do’) and so many other things that I can’t remember them!

I can’t think of anything else except news even littler than the above and I won’t bore you with that!

Thanks for reading. May God Bless you for your fortitude.